Material forming apparatus



F 1947. J. w. JUVINALL ETAL MATEhIAL FORMING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 J. w. JUVINALLY ET AL 2,415,499

MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 11, 1947 TENT OFFICE- MATEREAL FORMING APPARATUS James W. .l'uvinall, La Grange Park, and John S.

Stull, Chicago, 111., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 31, 1944, Serial No. 528,860

. 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to material forming apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for forming the leads on a stem of a vacuum tube.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a simple and practicable apparatus for efficiently and accurately forming the leads on a stem of a vacuum tube.

Inaccordance with the above object, the present' invention, in one embodiment thereof, is applied to the forming of a plurality of leads extending from a glass supporting stem of a vacuum tube, wherein two aligned leads are to be similarly bent toward each other at points predetermined distances from their outer ends, and a third lead, which is offset and intermediate the other leads, is to be bent at two points predetermined distances from its outer end toward and in a plane at right angles to the plane containing the bent ends of both of the other leads so that its outer end terminates in alignment with the other leads.

Specifically, the lead forming apparatus of this invention comprises means for supporting the stem from which the leads extend, stationary and movable cooperating means for holding the three leads at predetermined bending points spaced inwardly from their free ends, and a longitudinally movable and laterally displaceable hollow bar having cam faces on its end face adjacent the free ends of the aligned leads, which cooperate with similar cam faces on the stationary holding means to bend the twoleads. Longitudinallyslidable in the hollow bar is a rod, into an aperture of which is inserted a predetermined length of the free end of the third lead. To double' bend the third lead, the bar carrying the rod is first predeterminedly positioned and then displaced laterally by operating a cam lever, which effects the desired bending of the third lead. which extends into the rod, between the end thereof and an inner bending point on the holding means. This movement of the bar serves to align the cam faces thereon with the other two leads and, thereafter, a lever arranged in the path of a pin on the bar is operated to longitudinally move the bar to engage the cam faces thereof with the free ends of the two leads to bend them about their bending points arranged on and against the cam faces on the stationary holding means.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a forming apparatus embodying the features of the invention;-

e- 2 isaside .View thereof;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line:

til-Ill of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail and par-- ticularly to Figs. 1 and 7, a glass supporting stem.

of a vacuum tube is indicated at iii, in which arefused three lead wires I6, I? and He, which ex-- tend freely from the right end of the stem. Forrned on the left end of the stem i5 is a flange l9. length at the time the stem I5 is mounted upon the forming apparatus, as shown, to effect the desired bending operations on the leads. As shown in Fig. 10, the two leads l6 and I] are arranged on the stem IS in alignment and the lead lc'is offset therefrom and intermediate the other two leads. Also fused to and extending from the left end of the stem 55 is a glass tube 20. Threaded onto the leads before the bending operations and abutting the right end of the stem [5 is a radially slotted disc 22, which is part of the vacuum tube.

The lead forming apparatus comprises a channel-shaped base plate 23 supporting a standard 24 at its left end, which is pivoted at 25 and provided with a horizontal aperture 26 tapered outwardly at its right end for receiving and supporting the glass tube 20. At its right end, the tube 20 is supported in a forked rest 29 slidable horizontally on a standard 30. The stem flange 19, when the stem is mounted in position, is pressed at its left face against the rest 29 by a forked leaf spring 3l secured to the rest, the spring also serving to support the stem and its attached tube 20 in the desired longitudinal position on the apparatus.

To the right of the standard 30 is a standard 32, to the upper face of which is fixed a lead positioning and holding member 33 having formed in its inner end (Figs. 5, 9 and 10), which end is recessed and of irregular shape for clearance purposes, two spaced vertically aligned notches 36 for receiving the leads l6 and H. The free ends of the leads l6 and IT project freely from the notches 36, the inner ends of the notches ter minating in oppositely sloping cam faces 38, against which the leads are formed to provide the desired bent portions ill (Fig. 9) by means to be presently described. Longitudinally 'slidably mounted upon the standard 32 in a slideway' ia The leads are straight and of the desired.

thereof and aligned with the member 33 is a multiple member assemblage comprising, in the main, two jaw-like members 44 and 45, the member 45 being guided for vertical movement upon the member 44 by means of loosely fitting dowel pins 46. The jaw-like members 44 and 45 are urged apart by a compression spring 41, when a thumb nut 50 is loosened upon a screw fixed to the member 44. Inner horizontal faces of the jawlike members 44 and 45 normally abut, as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, and the member 45 is formed with a notch 52 for receiving the lead l8, which, in the normal position of the members 44 and 45, is held therebetween and at which time the inner vertical faces of the members abut the opposed inner vertical face of the fixed member 33. One side of the notch 52 intermediate its length is cut away for clearance purposes to provide a vertical sloping face 53 (Figs. '7 and 8), which is substantially aligned with a similar face on the member 33. The juncture point of the sloping face 53 and the notch 52, indicated at 54, serves as a forming point for an inner bent portion 55 (Fig. 8) on the lead [8, which is eifected by means to be presently described, the outer free end of the lead being the second bent portion thereon.

Fixed to the right end of the base plate 23 is a standard 56 having a vertical wall 51 extending longitudinally thereof (Figs. 1 and 6). Slidable longitudinally upon an upper face 58 of the standard 56 is a channel-shaped bar 59 and spanning and secured to the end faces of the channel arms is a vertical cover plate 66, the arrangement providing a square aperture 63 in which is freely fitted for longitudinal movement a round rod 64. The rod 64 projects from both ends of the bar 59 and at its right end has fixed thereto a knurled handle 65. Formed axially in the rod 64 at its left or inner end is an aperture 66 of suitable length and diameter to freely receive the lead H3. The inner end of the bar 59 is notched to provide sloping cam faces 61 complementary to the sloping cam faces 38 of the member 33 and each is formed with a lead locating groove 69 for receiving the free ends of the leads l6 and I! as the bar is advanced toward the leads to bend the same in the operation of the apparatus to be presently described.

In the operation of the apparatus to form the double bend in the lead I8, which is entered in the aperture 66 of the rod 64, and assuming that the rod is in its advanced position abutting a stop pin on the jaw member 45, the bar 59 is displaced laterally from the position thereof shown in Figs. 1 and 7 to that shown in Fig. 8 by a counter-clockwise rotation of a hand lever 1| pivoted at 72 on the standard 56 and having a cam fact [3 bearing on the cover plate 69 of the bar. This movement of the lever places the bar 59 firmly against the vertical wall 51 of the standard 56 and also aligns the lead locating grooves 69 in the bar with the leads l6 and H in preparation for the bending thereof. To advance the bar 59 while still maintained in its last described position against the wall 51, by means of the cam lever H, a hand lever 14, pivoted at H on a standard secured to the plate 23, is moved in a clockwise direction to engage a vertical pin 19 on the bar 59. This longitudinal advance of the bar 59 is shown in Fig. 9, wherein, in the broken outline position thereof, the leads [6 and I! have been formed with the bent portions 40.

To mount a stem l5 on the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1, the assemblage, comprising the jawlike members 44 and 45, which have been released by turning the thumb nut 59 to permit the spring 4'! to raise the jaw member 45 from the jaw member 44, is slid on the slideway 43 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, to provide a suitable space between the inner opposed ends of the member 33 and the jaw-like members to permit and facilitate the entrance of the leads (6, H and 18 into position for bending. Also, at this time, the slidable forked rest 29 and spring 3| have been moved upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, out of the path of the stem and leads. Before mounting the stem [5 in position, the hollow bar 59, with the rod 64 therein, is slid to the right (Fig. 1) so that the end of the lead l8 will be entirely clear of the parts. Thereafter, the tube 26 attached to the stem I5 is inserted in the aperture 26 of the pivotal standard 24, which has been rotated slightly clockwise (Fig. 1) and slid therealong a suitable distance, which will permit the leads at the opposite end of the stem to clear the standard 32, the disc 22 being in position on the leads and abutting the right end face of the stem. The stem is then swung horizontally into such position that the leads l6, l1 and 16, upon longitudinal and rotary movement of the stem I5, will be accurately entered in the space between the opposed ends of the member 33 and the jaw-like members 44 and 45. Following this, the forked rest 29 and spring 3| are returned to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 7, wherein the spring is pressing the flange IQ of the stem against the rest 29. The jaw-like members 44 and 45 are then slid as a unit to abut the inner end face of the member 33 to lodge the leads l6 and H in the positioning notches of the member 33 and then the jaw member 45 is lowered by rotating the thumb nut 59 to lodge the lead l8 in the notch 52 of the jaw member 45.

With the stem 15 mounted in position, the bar 59 and the rod 64 are advanced to the left (Fig. 1) by means of the handle 65 on the rod to the position shown in Fig. 7 to enter the lead in the aperture 66 of the rod and abut the inner end face of the rod with the stop pin 16, which predetermines the point about which the free end of the lead 18 will be bent about the bent portion 55 of the lead in the following operation. The cam lever H is then rocked counter-clockwise, which effects a lateral displacement of the bar 59 and rod 64 until the bar is pressed against the wall 51 of the standard 55. In this operation, as clearly shown in Fig. 8,.the lead 18 is given two bends, one at the fixed forming point 54 to provide the portion 55 on the lead, and the other at the juncture of the free end of the lead with the end of the rod 64 where the lead enters the aperture 66 of the rod, the free end of the lead l8 now being in alignment with the leadsifi and I7. Also in this operation, the lead locating grooves 69 in the sloping cam faces 61 at the inner end face of the bar 59 are aligned with the leads I6 and I1. Thereafter, the rod 64 is preferably retracted into the bar 59 until its outer end face is to the right of the extreme outer end of the bent lead I8 an appreciable distance to insure that the rod in the following operation of bending the leads l6 and 11 will not be advanced with the bar 59 and tend to deform the bent lead [6. The lever 14 is now rocked clockwise (Fig. 1) to engage the pin 18 on the bar and by a continuing movement of the lever, the bar is advanced, although still being pressed against the wall 51 by the cam lever II, to cause the leads l6 and H to enter the grooves 69 and, by means of the cooperating cam faces 6'! on the bar and the cam faces 38 on the fixed member 3-3, the leads are bent to the positions shown in dotted outline in Fig. 9. This completes the bending operations on the leads I6, I! and I8 and thereafter the stem I5 may be removed from the apparatus without deforming the leads by returning the various parts to their initial positions previously mentioned in describing the mounting of the stem on the apparatus.

To check the alignment of the outer end of the lead l8 with the leads IE and I! after the double bending operation on the lead l8, the rod 64 may be withdrawn from the end of the lead by a movement thereof to the right by means of the handle 65 and then advanced again to the left and if the lead enters the rod aperture 66, the lead is properly aligned with the other leads. In case the lead does not enter the aperture 66, it indicates imperfect alignment and it will need to be adjusted. This adjustment may be eifected after loosening the bar 59 from the wall 51 by releasing the cam lever H sufficiently to permit a slight lateral movement of the bar between the wall and the cam lever and then grasping the handle 65 and by a lateral pull thereon to effect a rocking movement of the bar about the cam face 13 of the lever in one direction or the other until the lead I8 is in the desired alignment with the leads l6 and I1.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for forming leads arranged in triangular position on the stem of a vacuum tube comprising a support having a bending point for each of said leads, a member having a pair of forming faces movable laterally into alignment with said leads and toward the stem for bending two of said leads toward each other in one plane, means for moving said member to bend said leads, a second member for receiving the end of a third lead and movable laterally thereof with said laterally movable first member to form a double bend therein, and means for moving said second member to form said third lead with the end of said lead parallel with the plane of said two leads.

2. In apparatus for forming leads arranged in triangular relation on the stem of a vacuum tube comprising a support having a bending point for each of said leads, a member having inclined faces at one end movable laterally into alignment with and engageable with the end faces of two of said leads for bending said leads toward each other in one plane, and a second member for receiving the end of a third lead and movable laterally thereof with said laterally movable first member to form a double bend therein with the end of said lead parallel with the plane of said two leads.

3. An apparatus for forming leads extending from a stem of a vacuum tube comprising means for positioning and holding the leads at predetermined bending points adjacent said stem, lead forming elements arranged one within the other and movable laterally and 1ongitudinally of said leads, the inner element having an aperture for receiving a predetermined length of the outer end of a lead to be given a double bend, one bend being at one of said bending points and the other at the point where the lead enters said apertured element, means for laterally moving said elements to double bend said lead and to align lead bending faces on said outer element with said other leads, said faces cooperating with the other of said bending points to bend said other leads,

and means for longitudinally moving said outer element to bend said other leads.

4. An apparatus for forming leads extending from a stem of a vacuum tube comprising means for positioning and holding the leads at predetermined bending points spaced from their outer ends, a laterally and longitudinally movable lead forming element having an aperture for receiving a predetermined length of the outer end of a lead which is to receive a double bend, one of said bends being at one of said bending points and the other at the point where the lead enters said apertured element, means for moving said element laterally of the lead to double bend the same, said means including a second laterally and longitudinally movable lead forming element supporting said first element and having faces for engaging other leads which are aligned with the said leads when the first element is moved laterally, said faces cooperating with the other of said bending points to bend said other leads, and means for longitudinally moving said second element to bend said other leads.

5. An apparatus for forming leads extending from a stem of a vacuum tube comprising means for positioning and holding the leads at predetermined bending points spaced from their outer ends, inner and outer lead forming elements movable laterally and longitudinally of said leads, an abutment for limiting the longitudinal move ment of said inner element in one direction, abutments for limiting the lateral movements of said outer element, the inner element having an aperture for receiving a predetermined length of the outer end of a lead which is to receive a double bend, one of said bends being at one of said bendin-g points and the other at the point where the lead enters said apertured element, means for moving said elements laterally of the leads to double bend said one lead and to align lead bending faces on said outer element with said other leads, said faces cooperating with the other of said bending points to bend said other leads, and means for 1ongitudinally moving said outer element to bend said other leads.

6. An apparatus for forming leads arranged in triangular relation on the stem of a vacuum tube comprising means for supporting and longitudinally positioning said stem, said means including a rotary member and a pair of reciprocable forked members in which the stem rests, one of said forked members being yieldable and arranged to predeterminedly longitudinally position the stem against said other forked member, a support having a bending point for each of said leads, a member movable into engagement with the end faces of two of said leads for bending said leads toward each other in one plane, and a second member for receiving the end of a third lead and movable laterally thereof to form a double bend therein with the end of said lead parallel with the plane of said two leads.

JAMES W. JUVINALL. JOHN S. STULL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

